Electrically operated devices, for example, electrical switches, electrical plug assemblies, electrical light sockets and even simple electrical couplings generally include a housing and have at least one electrical conductor cable extending outside the housing and have an end portion attached to an electrical contact which is within the housing. However, a significant problem confronting such prior art electrical devices is the tendency for the electrical contact to become misaligned and even pulled entirely from the housing as a result of tensional and/or flexural forces applied to the attached conductor cable.
A variety of structures have been suggested for retaining the electrical contact in its properly aligned position within its surrounding housing. For example, it has been suggested that an aperture leading into the housing include a portion having a diameter which is effectively less than the diameter of the conductor cable passing through the aperture, thereby clamping or pinching the conductor cable to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of the cable from the housing. Such an assembly has proven less than completely satisfactory in failing to provide structure for maintaining proper alignment of an electrical contact positioned within an electrical housing and attached to a conductor cable secured as suggested hereabove.
A more sophisticated approach to retaining the electrical conductor cable end portion within a surrounding electrical housing assembly suggests positioning a conically-shaped pressure element within a housing, with the pressure element surrounding a portion of an electrical conductor cable extending into the housing. Tensional stresses applied to an exterior portion of the cable act to wedge the pressure element into contact with the housing, causing the pressure element to create a gripping attachment with the electrical cable to prevent withdrawal of the cable from the housing. While such a pressure member may prevent withdrawal of the cable from the housing, the pressure member cannot prevent lateral stresses acting on the cable from affecting the alignment of an electrical contact positioned within the housing and attached to the cable. Furthermore, because some longitudinal movement of the pressure member is usually necessary to create the wedging action with the housing, the contact attached to the cable can become longitudinally misaligned before the pressure member becomes effective.
A yet further approach suggested in some prior art assemblies is to construct each of the housing members with a confronting surface which presses tightly against opposite side portions of the electrical contact in order to clamp the electrical contact into its proper position within the housing assembly. Such housing assemblies are relatively expensive to manufacture due to the close tolerances which must be maintained in order to provide a sufficient clamping force against the electrical contact and attached conductor end portion extending into the housing. More importantly, such housing assemblies can often only be employed with the specific contact and conductor for which the confronting end surfaces were originally molded. As a result, it is generally difficult, if not impossible, to modify the contact or conductor as may be desired.
As will become clear hereafter, the present invention overcomes the many disadvantages inherent in the known prior art as discussed hereabove, as well as additional disadvantages confronting the known prior art assemblies.